New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-03
NETWORKS WATER FRONT.
mrLuENcE ON THE olTYs INTERESTS.
1vHAr BROOKLYN AND NEw-JERsEY HAVE GAINED
SIMON sTEvEys's REMEDY.

TO-. IT, ~otar front nj New York in presentable
Is better than 1t has ever peen Ior years
Nsyor Hewitt has evnced special interest IN tne taek
OF placing the wharves and piers III commune" W
meet the demands OF the ctSs commerce. and is cor
sdering the proper way to dol IT, Simon Stevens the
LAWYER. who is an encyclopaedia OF information in
water front matters, and who recently prepared ior
the eity history OF the legal points bearing
on this subject maintains that only pronounced ana
radical policy will meet the emergency.
alf Mayor Hewitt and the Commissioners OF the
Sinking Fund.-" said Mr.. Stevens the other day,
would accompany tho Dock Commissioners on
tour around dlapidated water front, think the
May would find scope there for all his energy IN It's
Improvement l don't believe there are dozen
people In New-York to-day who realize the loss that
the city has actually sustained within few years oy
reason of the weak and petty policy in the manage
mont of its docks. Strangers say what unsightiy'
broken-down piers for great oityP The papers cry
for rapid transit. aud insist that New-Jersey and
Brooklyn are being built up at the expense OF New
York, but they seem to have no idea how the water
fronts Of NewJersey and Brooklyn have developed ~
the city's expense"
9Woald not their water fronts be built up with the
growth of New-York auy wsyp
Of course they would but they could not expect 10
be deyeioped IN advanoe of New-York. That ID what
has been done. There to-day an average of fifty
four steamers going every month for dock accommoda
ton in Brooklyn because they cannot get that accom-
mod aton in Ne work. Look at the European steam
river Every one of those lines should land its assen-
gers in New-York The valuation of wharf property
in BROOKLYN has increased within ten years some
$50 900 OOO and that of jersey City and HobOken
fully $40, 600 COO more. This has all grown up at
the expense of NewYOrk Brooklyn could not have
done better had her own officials been in control of
this with a view of turning business to her own
shores If the attention had been given to our
own water front the value recurring to the city would
not have BEEN less than $5O.OoO,OOO That is what
has been lost through the bad policy of the law
advisers of the city, don't object to the growth OF
our ne,ghbors, but New-York is the centre and the
objective point and it should profit rst As city 1t
is second only to London and it will soon lead the
world as great commercial CENTRE Within twenty
five miles of the City Hall there nearly 4OOOOOO
people living; its harbors big enough to shelter the
ships of the world
"If New-York grows, all around it must grow.
See what improv ements have been made in GOwanus
Bay in Brooklyn within a few years. The Pennsyl-
vauia Railroad Company has recently bought new
ferry privilege at Bergen Point lft builds break
water out in front of Greenville Bay 1t will have
harbor there for thousand ships Some day this will
be done and will be needed just as the Staten Island
shores will but it should not be done by hurriedly
driving from city docks the business that should
come here. If the city would begin at once and with
the view Of investing $50 600 900 in its water front
in the next ten years that policy would revolutonize
everything The investment would pay III every
direction. tie money could be secured in bonds at
per cent the improvements would bring to the city
net venus of less than 10 per cent the invest
mont Tue recognized policy of the city is to secure
the entire ownership of the water front now it owns
about one-third. Such investment as i have
mentioned would be sufficient TO secure and improve
the entire water front both rivers below twenty
thiri-st build large and ample piers and stone bulk
head walls with such wide water front street as
thsre now ia in West-st between Canal and West
Eleventh sts on the North River
.You have personal interest in those improve.
ments Mr. Stevens 7"
al should say that have very important personal
interest in the development of the water front l
have been retained to represent and look after the
private interests of large number of individual
owners of water front property In the city. Every
loot of the trout is worth from 5000 to ~ ,OOO
ats value grows with the prosperity OF the city, In
sixteen years the city has bought only two pieces OF
property that dld not come IRON my clients. All
9th 81 purchases have been made by the city through
me- In disposng of their rights the expect to
Five the full market value. and their interest and
my interest are affected when the city lies helpless
through advice and it's business carried else
where by the wholesale"
" Are not the Dock Commissioners making in prove
ments now ~
Eyes they have made a beginning. but at every
step they are hampered by lack OF harmony on the
part of the Sinking Fund Commissioners. That
branch Of the city government needs the fullest ill.,
formal the subject and there should be perfect
accor between il and the Dock DepaIt ment well
as the energy thoroughuess and intelligence to carry
out this vast improvement so much required by the
business interests of York. Mayor dewitt has
the ability and the power 10 start this policy Tor the
water 'front.' and he could get it thoroughly under way
during his administration OF the city government
The Dock Commissioners and the engineer chief
sympathy with his views and have msds the
be r ming. The -, 900 ,o0O authorized last summer
should be appended in rebuilding and repairing bulk
heads; many OF the piers under contract.
and the 49, 100000 authorized Tor tho current year
should be invested in the purchase of private rights
which il done would clear the way for continuous
line OF improvements. THIS money could be raised by
the sale OF per cent bouds at premium, and the
investment would bring net revenue OF 10 per cent
to city, in addition to the increased value that it
would give the assessment OF ali property bordering
the river front
Look at the arran cement that has been made with
the Hudson River Railroad Company the North
River between Thrtieth and Thrty-tourth SITS The
company, | believe, valves its right to the water
front which was in question, and builds at Its own
expense the stone bulkhead wall The city constructs
al the expense OF less than $4,000 each three piers
which cit rents to the company for a period OF ten
years al $4,000 year The property now useless
is made valuable, aud what better investment could
be seeuredi Another equally important question is
the filing along the water front TO the bulkhead line.
wide marginal street Of the greatest Importance
to business. There is $50, 600 900 invested in truck
age in NewYoIk. On the present narrow water front
streets that are blocked for daily the trucks do
not average more than two loads DAY. With wide
streets they could average five loads easily is it not
easy TO see what that to the business interests
OF a city like New. York where minutes are dollars
In building these streets out to the bulkhead line
the millions of cubic yards of coal astes and cellar
dirt that now dumped into the bay or OF the
mouth of the harbor might all he utilized instead OF
being wasted or employed to form DISTINCTIONS to
commerce 10 one who as l see it daily what
this della, and short-sghted policy is costing New
York. it il startling. hope to something done in
the right direction by Mayor Hewitt His mind,
know, grasps fully this great problem, and his
practical iDsght and experience will enable him to
carry out successfully if he undertakes it, plan
the Transformation of the water front and the good of
the business interests OF New-York."
THE HEAT FAVORED EARLY CLOSING.